Eden Hazard hasn’t played a competitive game for just over a year and formally announced his retirement last October – yet Chelsea are set to receive an extra £5m from Real Madrid this summer in what we can only assume is the most technical of technicalities.
The former Belgium international left Stamford Bridge to head to Spain in 2019 but was never able to replicate the scintillating form he had shown at leading Real to agree to a mutual termination of Hazard’s contract one year early last year.
Eden Hazard earns Chelsea transfer bonus despite being retired
But it seems that even though Hazard left the club and subsequently hung up his boots, the performance-related clauses in the deal agreed with Chelsea remained in effect into this season. Always read the fine print, everyone.
One of those clauses, was that Real Madrid would pay Chelsea an additional £5m for reaching this year’s Champions League final.
Carlo Ancelotti’s side will be vying be crowned European champions for the 15th time in the club’s history when they take on Borussia Dortmund at Wembley on 1st June.
The initial deal that took Hazard to Real Madrid was worth up to a reported £130m including these kinds of add-ons.
Hazard was considered a major flop at the Bernabeu, however, with seven goals and 12 assists in 76 appearances over four years a very poor return on their nine-figure investment in the winger.
Nonetheless, that outstanding clause gives Chelsea a nice little boost to their coffers for the summer transfer window as they try to stay in line with Premier League financial fair play rules.
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